Barak’s Statements on Hezbollah Spark Official Lebanese Rejection

The Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, announced his rejection of the remarks made by U.S. envoy Tom Barak regarding the disarmament of Hezbollah and the delineation of government and army roles, describing these statements as “unacceptable in form and content” and contradicting previous American positions. This came during his speech commemorating the Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon.

Berri emphasized that the Lebanese Army is the primary pillar for defending Lebanon’s sovereignty and the safety of its citizens, stressing that the army is not “Israel’s border guard,” and that its sacred duty is to protect the nation and its people, not to incite internal strife.

Barak’s Statements on Hezbollah and the Government

In an interview with the program Al-Haqiqa (“The Truth”), U.S. envoy Tom Barak said that the continuation of Israeli attacks reinforces Hezbollah’s narrative as the protector of the Lebanese people, while Israel continues to partially seize five border points. He added that the Lebanese government bears the responsibility of disarming Hezbollah but hesitates out of fear of a civil war, noting that the Lebanese Army, despite its good intentions, suffers from a lack of equipment, and that Hezbollah represents the “enemy” whose funding from Iran must be stopped.

Barak affirmed that the U.S. will not send troops as before, stating that the solution requires a clear governmental decision and that he is not seeking to impose disarmament by force or threaten the Shiites with arrest.

Berri’s Position on the Army and Resistance

Berri defended the Lebanese Army, describing its members as “our sons,” and emphasized that the army’s weapons are dedicated to defending Lebanon, not stirring discord. He also rejected any attempt to diminish the role of the resistance, considering Barak’s statements contradictory to Lebanese sovereignty.